Crossing the Boundaries
by SeaEmerald
Summary: She can destroy everything in her way without raising as much as her finger. But when he is willing to do everything in his power to make that a reality...
1. Welcome to the Family

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.**

 **Hey, guys!** I should really update other stories -_- But I'm STUCK on writer's block, so if anyone have any ideas on how to continue them, hit me up ;)! I'd love to listen :D! In advance, thank you for reading (and reviewing, if you did that as well)!

 **NOTE:** **Just as a heads-up, guys, this story may be OOC on some/plenty occasions. :)**

* * *

 **~ New York - 7:30 PM ~**

" _...and_ do you solemnly promise before God and these witnesses to love, cherish, honor, and protect him and to forsake all others for his sake; to cleave unto him, and him only, until death shall part you?" the pastor asked.

Stella Solaria took a deep breath as she looked at the handsome man in front of her. She can't believe her luck. She never imagined herself to be marrying at the young age of twenty-three. But here she was...

Surrounded by frenzy and over-enthusiastic photographers, papparazzi, and over two hundred people who couldn't contain their excitement at being able to witness a chance at the _wedding of the century_...

Stella took another breath. "I do," she replied in a firm tone as she now glanced at the man in front of her who will become her lawfully wedded husband in less than twenty seconds.

The pastor turned to the ring bearer, a young boy in an adorable tux, and urged him to come forward. The boy skipped forward merrily and stopped before the bride and groom with a wide-toothed grin. The pastor closed his book and held it against his chest with one hand. "If anyone has any concerns or restrictions regarding this holy affair, please speak now."

 **…**

No one said anything.

 **...**

Stella cast a subtle glance around for any raise of hands. Nope, there were none.

"You may now exchange the rings."

Stella looked at him through her white veil. She held out her hand where he slipped a diamond uncut ring into her ring finger smoothly. Next, she saw a slightly rough and calloused hand held out towards her. Holding the wedding ring, she wordlessly slipped it into his ring finger.

"Congratulations. You are now husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride," the pastor smiled before stepping backwards to give the newly wedded couple their privacy.

 _Great!_ Stella thought. She stood still as a pair of hands slowly pulled up her veil. She found herself staring into a pair of light blue eyes and dark brown hair. She felt a cool palm graze her cheek before she saw her husband leaning in. Stella leaned in as well and before long, their lips moved together against each other in a convincingly loving manner.

The audience hooted and cheered crazily as people threw flowers here and there. The couple separated and smiled at each other before turning towards the people. The media went crazy as they clicked hundreds of pictures and sent flashes their way to double the lighting for the photographs.

"It's party timeeeeeeeee!" someone yelled and that was all it took for all hell to break loose. Everyone cheered and wolf-whistled to get the refreshments and snack tables filled with goodies and drinks.

* * *

 _ **Two hours later...**_

 **~ 10:00 PM ~**

Stella walked towards the honeymoon suite with a grand and happy smile on her face as she looped an arm through her new husband. She gingerly held the bottom of her dress in order to walk properly and not He smiled down at her as well as he pulled out the keys to their hotel room.

With a swift swipe, the room clicked and blinked green. He opened the door and went in first before letting the blonde inside. Stella turned around to lock the door before going inside. She stopped in her tracks after seeing the room. There was a huge bed in the center along with a sofa on the side. The bed was decorated lavishly with fragrant blush red roses and carnations. Blood red petals were smithered about the bed but their aroma, though very sweet, made the newly wedded couple frown.

Even the brunette in front of her eyed the bed with utter distaste and that's when the adults realized that they needed to talk. _Pronto._

Before Stella could even speak, Haydon Matthew Shields, CEO of the Shields' Empires at only _26,_ turned around with flames dancing in his ocean-green eyes.

"Alright," he fumed instantly while glaring coldly at the blonde. "This is how it's gonna work."

Stella crossed her arms neutrally, obviously expecting a showdown after the so-called, fake-ass wedding.

"When I'm out for events and promotions, you will accompany me and act like my wife," Hayden said coldly.

"Other than that, you won't speak to me or interact with me in any way. You can do whatever the hell you want. Understood?" he finished quite rudely that made Stella scoff.

" _Crystal,"_ Stella seethed while scowling deeply. "By the way, do I look like I _like_ being married to you?" she finished with her amber eyes flaring upwards in anger.

Hayden glared, his sea-green eyes illuminating at her ignorant remark. But nonetheless, he didn't say anything.

The two continued to glare at each other, making the situation painfully obvious that they're _not_ happy with each other, quite contraire to what the newspapers are going to say tomorrow.

 **...**

* * *

 **~ The Next Morning - 9:00 AM ~**

"Ready?" Hayden looked down at the blonde with an impatient look.

Stella tossed her curled hair over her shoulders before smoothing down her dress. "Ready," she sighed with a tired look at his snippy attitude. Honestly...men are such _jerks_ and _assholes._ Why is it that they always treat women like some kind of bugs that needed to be squashed?

Hayden extended his arm out for her to take and Stella looped her arm through it with indifference. "Let's go," he ordered while tugging on her arm and opening the door. He held the luggage with his other arm, preferring to carry it by himself rather than calling someone to do it for him. Obviously, he can't let his precious 'wife' carry anything when he's around.

The two plastered fake smiles before stepping out into the hallway. While they didn't smile like total morons, their faces were pleasant and happy.

The duo went down the elevator and into the lobby where a few receptionists turned to give them smiles. Obviously, the glow that a newly wedding couple has is not something one can just overlook.

Stella smiled up at Hayden, who, in return, smiled down at her. To the rest of the world, they were the _IT couple_ who were madly in love. But only they alone can distinguish the artificial feelings for each other.

"We're checking out," Hayden smiled while handing the receptionist their room keys.

"Ahh, Mr. and Mrs. Shields," the man smiled. "I hope you've had a pleasant stay."

Stella smiled. "Yes, thank you." _Ugh. Someone please just kill me already._

With a grateful nod, they both left and moved towards their or rather, _Hayden's,_ dark red Audi car. _Men and their toys..._ Stella rolled her eyes while approaching the car and getting in. Hayden slipped in as well before shutting the door and slamming on his seat belt.

The car soon roared to life as he turned on the ignition. He looked over his shoulder before pulling out of the parking lot and into the main road, which bustled with traffic.

"So...where are we going?" Stella asked neutrally.

Hayden tossed her a small cold look before letting out a sigh. "To my house, obviously," he said with a roll of his eyes.

Hayden still lived with his family. While he was a complete ass, his parents were good and kind people. Stella didn't have a problem with them but she can't _stand_ their son, just as he can't stand her.

Stella sighed with a shake of her head. Honestly, she's not the type to be a bitch to anyone in general, but this guy was just begging for it. Would it kill him to at least show some professional courtesy or at least a twinge of respect? _Just because he's an asshole doesn't mean that I have to be one,_ the blonde sighed before looking out the window quietly without asking any further questions.

She concentrated on the buildings that passed by almost wistfully before her eyes narrowed suddenly when she saw that the road they were supposed to take just passed by.

"Wait. Hayden, your parents' house is that way," Stella pointed out.

"I know," he sighed in irritation. "We're heading to the airport first. My brother is gonna land in an hour."

Stella's eyes widened and she paled instantly. "E-Excuse me?! Hell _NO._ I'm not going with you."

Hayden rolled his eyes and ignored her.

"Hayden Matthew Shields, either you turn the freaking car around or I get off at the next traffic light!" Stella threatened, knowing that he'll comply for sure at that demand. She'll definitely put up a scene and he'll definitely not let her storm off like that.

"Stella," he clenched his teeth. "You're supposed to be my wife in public, remember?" he mocked.

Stella smiled at him mockingly. " _Correction._ I'm only supposed to be your wife at charity events and promotions. _Which_ this is _NOT,"_ she retorted with a smirk.

Hayden glared at her logic before cursing under his breath. " _Fine."_

She raised a surprised eyebrow because she didn't really expect him to give in that easily. But hey, who the hell cared?

Hayden gripped the steering wheel tightly before taking the next available U-turn.

Stella closed her eyes in relief. Thought she was pretty nonchalant on the outside, she was having a panic attack on the inside. Her face burned slightly as she took deeply relieving, calm breaths.

 _Thank god..._ she breathed. She was out of danger... _for now._

* * *

 _ **Thirty minutes later...**_

 **~ Shields' Household - 9:45 AM ~**

Stella's lips automatically burst into a smile when she saw the house in view. Honestly, she didn't mind living here from now on because Hayden's family was the complete opposite of him.

Stella hopped out from the car as soon as the car halted to a smooth stop. The car ride till here had been completely silent, save for a few uncalled-for curses from Hayden about the double work he's been made to do.

The second Stella got out, Hayden didn't spare her a second glance before setting the car in reverse gear once again.

Stella ignored him and walked up the porch. Hayden and his family were extremely wealthy, but Stella didn't really know what their net worth is. She didn't really a damn because she had never been interested in business in the first place. She hated the industrial business since she was little because of the predicaments _exactly_ like the one she just landed in.

Married and shipped off to a guy whom she can't stand and who can't stand her in return...

Yeah...not so fun.

Stella sighed before climbing up the stairs and ringing the doorbell.

The door opened a few seconds later and revealed a maid, who simply greeted the blonde with a pleasant hello and smile.

"Good morning," Stella smiled cheerfully before stepping inside.

The blonde waltzed to the living room like it was her own house before screeching at the top of her lungs. "Heattheerrrrrrrr! I'm homeeeeeeeee!" Stella screamed before twirling around in the living room.

Three excited squeals and screeches greeted her in return from upstairs.

"Stella!" Heather Shields yelled back from above before her footsteps came out hurriedly.

Heather was Hayden's over-hyper mother and also Stella's new mother-in-law.

Stella grinned widely before squealing happily when she saw Heather. The blonde climbed up the stairs in a hurry before hugging Heather tightly. "Awww, it's so good to see you!" Stella laughed.

"Even though you saw me just last night?" Heather laughed while hugging the blonde back. Heather was a pleasant woman in her early fifties but still looked gracefully fabulous for her age. She was of a European descent, so her hair was a dark brown, resembling black.

Stella sighed but tried not to let that disappointment show. She thought she'd cry like hell after going through this forced, arranged marriage but she hasn't shed a single tear...yet... _maybe._ The feeling didn't really sink at all and maybe, that's why.

"Yo! Stel, what up?!" a hip-hop voice greeted from above.

Stella looked above to see her best friend, Musa Shields, grinning up at her. If there was one thing about this marriage, it was probably this.

"Muse!" Stella laughed while giving her a short hug. They were just about the same age and were best friends since many years now.

"So...you're my sister-in-law now?" Musa shook her head in mock disgust. "Eww. Bleh." She had dark hair as well (obviously from Heather) but dyed it with navy blue streaks.

"Geez, I love you too," Stella chuckled. "What're you guys up to anyways?" she asked while climbing upstairs along with them.

The house was practically a big mansion that always had maids scuttering about and taking care of things.

Stella had been here plenty of times before and that was only to see Musa... _mostly,_ the blonde thought with a silent frown before following them inside.

"Eh. Just teenager shit," Musa snorted, making Stella and Heather laugh.

"I _knew_ it. I knew you were here when I heard all the commotion," a fatherly voice came out of nowhere, interrupted the girls' idiotic giggling.

"Hey, Luke," Stella smiled while going up to him for a hug. He gladly hugged her back and smiled down at her. "Welcome to the family," he smiled while patting her head as a form of blessing. Lucas "Luke" Shields was Hayden's father and was in his mid-fifties.

Stella smiled tightly. She didn't have the heart to frown in front of them because they were all so happy that their eldest son had just gotten married, even though it was arranged.

Only Musa knew that Stella didn't give a shit about Hayden but that was only because she was Stella's best friend.

"Thanks, Luke."

Heather piqued up. "Why are you here alone? Where's Hayden?"

Stella felt as if someone punched her hard in the stomach. She gulped slightly before her face paled a little. "Airport," she answered as nonchalantly as possible while trying not to choke on her own voice.

Musa sensed Stella's discomfort and assumed it had to do with Hayden, although he was not the reason why the blonde was so tense.

"So, who's hungry?!" Musa demanded. "Dude, I'm starving."

Stella breathed in relief and shot Musa a grateful look. Heather snapped her fingers. "Girls, why don't you help me in the kitchen?" she asked to which the two nodded in compliance.

Heather always preferred to cook on her own. On days when she's busy and running on tight schedule, she'll resort to using one of her maids.

Stella quietly followed Heather down the stairs before checking the time. It won't be long now. Hayden and...his _brother_ will be here soon.

And they needed to get lunch ready for the family. Stella prayed for the clock to tick as slowly as possible. But she knew that...

Fate won't listen to her in times like these.

* * *

 _ **Two-ish hours later...**_

 **~ 12:15 PM ~**

A loud honk outside jolted the ladies of the house (except for Stella, that is) to madness and excitement. Musa and Heather quickly set the table while Stella cleaned up the little messes in the kitchen as slowly as possible.

"Lukee!" Heather called out. "Honey, they're here!"

Stella felt that anxiety in her heart start to grow. She ignored the commotion that slowly entered the house. She shut her ears tightly to not hear... _his_ voice. There were so many memories that were just painful to think about now. With a deep breath, she opened her eyes.

"Be strong, Stel. You're so better than this. You're stronger than this," she breathed calmly as she chided herself to relief. "It's okay..." she breathed softly before taking her hands off of her ears.

She was instantly welcomed by what sounded like a family reunion in the living room.

"I can't believe you missed the wedding!" Heather's shrill, disapproving voice sounded above the others.

Stella bit her lip as she gripped the kitchen countertop tightly that her knuckles turned nearly a sickly, pale white.

"Sorry, mom," _he_ laughed. "But it's your fault for making this happen in less than a week. People got plans, you know."

Heather rolled her eyes at her younger son's stupid logic.

Luke patted his wife's shoulder in comfort. "You know we would've tried to postpone if we could," he smiled, making Heather sigh with a nod.

Stella stared down at the counter top while closing her eyes shut. _Oh my god, oh my god,_ she panicked.

 _His voice..._ god...it sounds so much deeper and richer than the last time she heard him and that was... _years_ ago.

Musa huffed. "Okay, okay, enough. I'm starving. Can we eat now?!" she interrupted.

"I'm gonna shower first-"

Musa interrupted. "The hell you are," she snapped. "Mom's not gonna let anyone eat until we're all at the table. So you better freaking take a shower last." The family laughed and started to gather at the dining hall where the table was already set up.

Stella blinked back a frown as she let out a small sigh. She gasped when she heard footsteps in the kitchen. She hurriedly composed herself and pretended to clean or whatever. Musa walked in towards her.

"Stel, that wood's gonna wear off. It's clean enough," she rolled her eyes with a laugh. Stella smiled tightly but didn't say anything.

"I'm gonna get the chicken," Musa said while heading towards the oven.

Stella stopped her with wide eyes. "You go. I'll get it," she smiled, hoping to convince her. Musa shrugged. "Okay," she nodded before washing her hands and exiting out into the dining hall.

Stella felt the pit of anxiety in her heart grow. She felt uneasy as her heart raced uncomfortably. Her chest hurt no matter how many times she did the breathing exercises.

She went to the oven before grabbing the over mitten. Taking out the tray filled with chilli chicken, she set it up on the counter, allowing it to cool down a bit. Gripping the counter, she took a few more deep breathers.

"Hello! Where's the food?!" someone hollered from the dining hall, mostly Musa, but the high-pitched shrill was enough to jolt Stella back to her nightmare of a reality.

"Oh screw it," the blonde cursed before starting to walk. _Might as well get this stupid thing over with._

She prayed for her own welfare and also warned herself to keep her feelings in check. She didn't want anyone to know how uncomfortable she really is and especially not Hayden.

Stella stepped out of the kitchen and the feeling only got worse. The air suddenly felt thick. She walked slowly into the hall before sucking in a deep breath. Heather was serving food to everyone before taking a seat herself.

Stella's heart raced with apprehension when she saw a certain brunette with dark brown hair. His back was to her, so she couldn't really see his face.

As she neared the table, she composed herself to one of slight indifference even though she was freaking wildly on the inside.

"There you are! What took you long?" Heather asked as Stella approached the table. "Stella, do you remember Brandon?" she introduced her son to her with a bright smile.

Stella's blood ran cold with unexplainable terror and trepidation when the brunette turned around slowly to match her stance. His body turned rigid and his dark brown eyes flashed in recognition. His eyes were the deepest chocolate brown she had ever laid her eyes on. They locked with hers and she could feel her heart start to open up old memories and wounds.

Despite it feeling like an eternity, it was only for a split second before Stella breathed out. "Yeah, sort of," she laughed off casually before nearing the table and setting the tray down.

"Would you like some chicken?" she asked but his eyes blinked with shock, bewilderment, and complete incredulity.

…

* * *

So...I'd _always_ appreciate a review. If you're confused about certain loopholes, I promise I'll fill them in in the upcoming chapters (if you want me to continue). Right now, this is just an introduction and I didn't want to write too much without having enough readers. Thank you for reading! :)


	2. Lunchtime!

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.**

 **AN:** I keep seeing reviews on this story every once in a while, and I figured, hey, why not update it? So, here it is! I hope you enjoy! Oh and by the way, I barely had an hour or two to write this thing, so please go easy on me for the lack of proofreading X_X

* * *

"There you are! What took you long?" Heather asked with a short laugh as Stella approached the table. "Stella, do you remember Brandon?" she introduced her son to her daughter-in-law with a bright smile.

Stella's blood ran cold with unexplainable terror and trepidation when the brunet turned around slowly to match her stance. His body turned rigid and his dark brown eyes instantly flashed in recognition. His eyes were the deepest chocolate brown she had ever laid her eyes on and they were still just as beautiful as she remembered them. They locked with hers and she could feel her heart start to open up old memories and wounds. Wounds that haven't faded but hardened into scars over the years.

Despite it feeling like an eternity, it was only for a split second before Stella breathed out. "Yeah, sort of," she laughed off casually before nearing the table and setting the tray down. "Would you like some chicken?" she asked with a nonchalant smile, turning to him, but his eyes blinked with shock, bewilderment, and complete incredulity. He stared at her with complete disbelief as he drank her presence with his eyes.

Stella's back started to sweat when he took his sweet time to process his shock. "Um..." she coughed slightly to get his goddamn attention and hopefully get him to _say_ something!

Brandon blinked and thankfully snapped out of his trance. "...Y-Yes, t-thanks," he stuttered in shock before letting his eyes glue to her face. Stella's cheeks flamed as she placed a serving into his plate. My god, he's so close to her! Her heart hammered as she bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from screaming. She involuntarily caught a whiff of his cologne and nearly fainted at the familiar scent. _Crisp pine and sandalwood..._ she gulped as she recognized it instantly.

She didn't know whether she should be drowning in horror or waiting for the ground to swallow her whole. Both looked like promising options.

She avoided all possible eye contact and physical touches as she served him. But...for some reason, her skin burned feverishly. Or... _was it just her?_

She set the tray in the middle of the table before moving away from the brunet as quickly as she possibly could. To her next curse, the seat beside Hayden was dreadfully empty, which means that she had a certain expectation to fill it and sit beside him. _Oh, god._

She let out an aggravated sigh internally before flopping down next to Hayden. Stella took her place and calmly served herself some food before starting to eat.

"So, cheers to the happily married coupleeee!" Heather cooed.

Hayden and Stella glanced at each uncomfortably before tightly smiling for the sake of his parents, neither of which did _not_ go unnoticed by a particular brunet in the room.

"Yeah! We need to celebrate as a family!" Lucas grinned.

"Dad!" Hayden protested in ire. "God, please!" he growled, clenching his jaw.

Stella shook her head, suddenly not having the appetite to eat anything in front of her.

 _"Dad, you can't do this to me!" Stella yelled angrily. "I don't even know that guy!"_

 _"Don't be silly, honey," Radius Solaria laughed, totally ignoring his daughter's protests. "He's Musa's brother. Of course, you know him."_

 _"Mom, please—" she tried to convince her mother, but the latter seemed entirely focused on something else._

 _"Stella, don't you understand how much we'll all mutually benefit from this? Our profits will just be shooting through the roof. You'll be so happy, honey!" Luna smiled and Stella knew it was useless arguing with them._

 _The two parents turned towards each other. "We'll be in-laws to Heather and Lucas!" Luna continued with a big grin, hugging Radius happily. Stella face-palmed at their reactions. Useless. Pointless. Hello! It's HER marriage, and she has to have a say in it!_

The blonde snapped out of her trance. _Oh, god_ , she gulped. She can't lose focus. Heather and Lucas both know this is an arranged marriage, but they can't help but pretend that their son and new daughter-in-law are heavily in love with each other. _Great._ As if putting on a showfor the entire world isn't wonderful enough already.

 _My life is so pathetic,_ Stella shook her head with a sigh.

The adults started to talk about the added bonuses that this marriage brought upon. Business-wise, their stock markets went through the roof like they predicted. New investors joined in, sponsors poured in, and the value of their contracts broke plenty of existing, recent records.

Stella didn't bother to join in the conversation. _Politics._ She never was interested in that crappy shit. It was materialistic — and that's saying something coming from her — and outlandish.

"Hey. Cut it out with the _if-the-looks-could-kill_ glaring," Hayden suddenly leaned in and whispered in her ear, making her jump in her seat. The blonde's eyes widened as she turned towards him. He pressed his lips together and silently told her to change her expression. The blonde nodded and mouthed a soft 'sorry' before turning back to her food. She hadn't even noticed how displeased she was. She threw her thoughts out the window before deciding to just get through the lunch. The worst part is already over.

Meanwhile, Brandon saw the exchange. He narrowed his eyes, clearly not liking his brother's proximity with the blonde. _What is she even doing here in the first place?!_ He breathed in disbelief. He stared at her multiple times to make sure that it's really her. It is. His eyes fell on the ring on her finger to confirm. _What the hell?_ He gulped slightly.

Sensing Stella's discomfort, Musa cast her a look of assurance and comfort.

Brandon looked up from his food occasionally and glanced up at Stella. And now, she was silently nodding at something Musa was gesturing. _Does she not remember me anymore?_ he thought in question. Since he came here, the only time she glanced at him was to ask if he wanted chicken. _Chicken!? Really!?_

Stella calmly ate her food, but she was just about ready to explode. She could feel Brandon's every now and then piercing glances. And she'd have to be lying if she said she didn't notice. Oh, she noticed alright.

"Pssst!"

Brandon turned to the side when Musa poked him in the shoulder. "How was London?" she grinned. "And did you bring me the flute that I asked for?" she asked excitedly.

Brandon smiled slightly, grateful for the distraction. "Of course, I did," he chuckled.

Stella suddenly coughed and started to choke on her food when she heard his voice out of the blue. He's been so quiet till now and to hear his voice suddenly startled her. Brandon's eyes darted towards the blonde, who nervously grabbed a glass of water.

"Are you alright, Stella?" he asked with an impassive voice with a hint of tease to his tone.

 _Oh my god, he spoke. He just spoke to me!_ Too overwhelmed to think straight, the blonde didn't look at him. She kept her eyes on her food. "Y-Yes. Um, t-thanks," she stuttered.

"Hey, Stell," Musa grinned. "How about we all go out and hit the beach after lunch? It should be fun! The four of us can go! And we can invite the girls and the guys too!"

Hayden interrupted before she could go on any further. "I'm busy. Can't come," he shrugged dismissively as he continued to eat.

Musa tossed him a dry look. But then again, she wasn't really surprised to hear that. Hayden had always been mindful of his own business and nothing else. Sacking his response aside, she turned towards her best friend again. "What do you guys say?"

Stella bit her lip. She turned to sneak a subtle glance at Brandon, but immediately turned away when she saw his penetrating gaze nearly puncture through her soul. "Um…yeah, sure..." she stammered in a quiet voice.

"Sure, why not?" Brandon agreed, speaking up almost immediately, his eyes never leaving the blonde.

Oblivious to the tense exchanges between the blonde and brunet, Musa grinned. "Great," she smirked before gushing about how exciting it's going to be especially now that her brother returned.

Stella used her hair as a thick curtain to shield her burning face.

The lunch passed by within the next ten to fifteen minutes. But for Stella, it felt like a complete, nightmarish eternity.

Heather and Lucas were too engrossed with each other, Hayden didn't care about anything but the chicken on his plate, and Musa was too hyped about the spontaneous beach trip. The one thing the four had in common was no one noticed the too-obvious, silent conversations between the blonde and brunet.

* * *

 _ **A while later...**_

After the lunch, Heather moved to clean and Stella offered to immediately help. _Anything to get out of the dining room._ The blonde took her plate out into the kitchen, letting herself breathe again. She didn't even realize she's been suffering from a serious case of hypoxia till now.

"You okay, honey?" Heather chimed in, observing Stella's sudden silence. The blonde wasn't really known for her quietness.

Stella turned to her and gave her a tired smile. "I just really want to get some sleep," she replied. "It's been a long night." _And day,_ she snorted internally.

"Long night, eh?" Heather teased, leaving Stella to suppress a glare. "Alright, you go on and get some rest. I'll clean up here."

"Thanks, Heather," Stella gladly took up the offer before making a beeline out of the kitchen.

 _Subtle much!_ She glared internally at Heather's coy comment before climbing up the stairs. But she didn't dismiss the irony of those words. It was a long night. She couldn't sleep all night with another man in bed in the same room as her.

Lost in her own trance, she never noticed Brandon, who wasn't too far behind her on the stairs. Stella sighed to herself, deciding to retire for the day. Her brain consumed enough stress for a few days, and she needed some much-needed solitude. She stopped in front of her bedroom before opening it. This had been one of the conditions when she had gotten married. There's no way in hell she was sharing a bedroom with Hayden.

Her eyes gleamed brightly at the sight of a neatly made bed waiting for her. With a soft sigh to herself, she effortlessly dragged her feet to the inviting mattress before collapsing on it. She closed her eyes and was about to doze off when she heard the door to the bedroom close abruptly. She sat up without a moment's hesitation and gasped out loud to see none other than Brandon, who was busy locking the door.

A loud, frightened squeak escaped from the pits of her throat as she stood up in a flash. The tall brunet turned and captured her light amber orbs with his piercing ones.

Stella felt her heart thud as he approached her with silent footsteps. "W-What are you doing?" she asked, trying to mask her nervousness for something far less humiliating.

He didn't respond as he stopped barely two feet away from her. His dark chocolate eyes appeared brazen and conflicted as he calmly stared at her. With each second, she found it all the more difficult to maintain her stance. His pensive stare started to break her as she struggled to gaze at him.

To her surprise, he crossed his arms and broke the contact away first to look around the room. He peered over her shoulder, where his gaze lingered on the bed for a few extra seconds. Without breaking his contact with the white pristine sheets, he spoke up. "So...you and my brother, huh?" Brandon commented before his eyes snapped to face her once more.

Stella felt her insides _melt_ as the sound of his voice. She always loved his voice. It used to make her feel... _safe._ That's the kind of comfort his beautiful voice gave her. Since the last time she saw him, it only grew deeper and richer. It made a part of her swoon with delight — not the part she was proud of having, but still.

"…You're back," she said dumbly. She honestly hoped he wouldn't be. She prayed that he'll only be here for a short time and then pack up and go. _Just like last time,_ she thought with a small frown.

He stared at her for a moment. _Is that really the topic here?_ His lips pursed in anger. She jumped slightly when he suddenly took a large step towards her. He grabbed her wrist, causing her eyes to widen with fright and shock. "What are you doing here, Stella?" he snapped, his anger no longer masked underneath.

She gasped at their proximity, but her senses were soon clouded with irritation before turning into anger at his _nerve_ to actually _touch her._ And just like that, her hazy conscious disappeared as she glared with him with ire. "Excuse me?" she raised an eyebrow at his presumptuousness. _Why did he care?_ No, wrong question. _Since WHEN did he care?_ She tried to free her wrist, but her blood only boiled when he resisted effortlessly against her miserable attempts. "Brandon, stop! What are you doing? Let me go!" she protested.

Glaring at her attempts, he only tugged on her wrist with another swift pull. Stella gasped when her body collided tightly against his. She instantly pushed him away repulsively like he was some sort of acid and jumped back a foot, but he still refused to let go of her wrist.

"What am _I_ doing?! No, Stella. The question is, what are _you_ doing here?!" he growled, trying his best to control his rising voice.

Strangely unaffected by his anger, Stella blinked and raised an eyebrow. "Um...well, it's obvious even to a complete moron. Hello! I'm the daughter-in-law of this house, remember? Meaning I'm _YOUR_ sister-in-law," she huffed triumphantly.

Brandon glared at her mocking voice. He lunged for her shirt before grabbing her collar. "Don't you dare be a smartass with me, Stella Solaria," he snapped, making her flinch. "Because that will be a big mistake," he hissed, his voice low and threatening. "But you know that very well, don't you?" he whispered, his eyes glowering with rage.

Stella gulped at his anger and her eyes widened at their growing proximity. She could feel his breath fanning over her as his eyes blazed with fury. Her heart started to hammer loudly against her chest, and she was sure nearly everyone in the house can hear it. Fear seeped into her face at the sheer wrath in his gaze.

 _Is he going to hurt her...?_

 _No,_ Stella defended immediately. _He'll never do that to me...or...at least the old him wouldn't..._

Getting a grip of her momentary physical weakness, Stella coiled her hand around his wrist before forcibly removing his hold from her. "Don't you _ever_ touch me again," she started just as angrily. "I'm not your property or your slave. I don't owe you _any_ explanation on what I do with my life," she hissed with an angry glare.

Brandon's eyes mimicked the same amount of outrage. He resisted the urge to strangle her right now. She just has _no_ idea, does she? Did she really think she can waltz into this house as his brother's wife?! And that too without expecting _any_ questions?!

"Why? Why did you come here!? _"_ he asked with a murderous look in his eyes, barely being able to keep the rage out of his tone.

Stella rolled her eyes. "Why do you care?" she asked uncaringly. "This is _my_ life and I don't have to give you an answer for it," she said with a triumphant smirk. She glared back at him, no longer spell bounded by his piercing stare. "Get out, Brandon," she said coldly. This conversation was done.

He stared at her for a long moment. "This isn't over," he hissed before stepping back.

Stella rolled her eyes, which only irked him further. She did that on purpose. She knew him long enough to know that rolling her eyes at him _really_ got under his skin. He always got her back for it but back then, she irrationally enjoyed the way he made her pay for it.

Brandon's furious eyes turned a jet-black as he momentarily stopped in his tracks. "Do you love him? Do you _really_ love my brother?" he asked her in indignation.

Stella crossed her arms before turning her head to the side. "Like I said, it's _none_ of your business," she said coldly. She turned to him again, unable to keep the bite out of her tone. "But since you're a dumbass, I'll give you a hint. People don't get married just for the heck of it," she rolled her eyes again while flashing him her ring finger which adorned the ring that Hayden put on her yesterday.

 _Another roll of eyes,_ she noted mentally. Her eyes darted over to his hands, which itched to retaliate for that. She suppressed a small gulp. Despite knowing him a lot more than people gave her credit for, she was still intimidated by him. Even after all these years, a part of him still terrified and overwhelmed her. He clenched his teeth before giving her a death stare. If looks could kill, she'd really be vaporized by now.

She let out a shuddering breath of relief when he turned on his heel and marched out of the room, slamming the door shut on his way out. She collapsed on the bed and clutched her heart, which had beating too fast for her to register. She shut her eyes in pain and sadness, leaking the two emotions she refused to let Brandon (or anyone else) see.

* * *

Brandon headed back to his room and slammed the door in anger. He stood with his back against it and closed his eyes before slowly sliding down to the floor. He was livid. That was so not how the conversation was supposed to go. This wasn't the Stella he knew.

Back then, she was...

His eyes drifted into nostalgia. _She was something special._

She was adorably clumsy, said the wrong things at the wrong times, laughed out of nowhere, and found just about everything hilarious. He opened his eyes slowly, unable to believe what was going on here. He refused to believe that she's married. He refused to believe that she's hooking up with his brother. He simply _refused._

But how can he know when she keeps saying it's "none of his business"? She won't even answer a single question. _And not to mention the way she rolled her eyes at him...Grrr._

But did his brother and she really marry out of love? Did they at least have the tiniest whiff of feelings towards each other? He wasn't an idiot when it comes to wealthy marriages. Not everyone married out of love. _But…h_ _ow can I make sure?_ He racked his brain for an idea. He stood up when a tiny light bulb went off in his head.

He left his bedroom before quickly going downstairs to find his mom. "Mom," he called out.

"In here, honey," Heather answered from the kitchen.

Brandon followed the sounds of dishes being put away. "Mom," he approached his mother in the kitchen.

"Hey, sweetheart. Are you still hungry?" Heather smiled at him as she cleaned up the kitchen slabs.

The brunet shook his head. "Can I see Hayden's wedding videos?"

Heather gasped, wondering why she hadn't thought of this before. "Oh my god, that's right!" She thought for a moment. "We don't have the official photos or videos yet, but we did manage to get a few shots in the video cameras. And," Heather let out a small giggle before continuing, "You can also try the Internet."

Brandon nodded with a thanks before taking off to get the cameras. He found them in his dad's study. Taking them to his room, he plugged the cameras in his laptop through USB ports and viewed the contents inside. There were only a few recent videos, but they weren't filmed for very long. He clicked on the longest one and set it to full screen.

Brandon's eyes dilated slightly when he saw that the opening scene was of Stella walking down the aisle with her arm looped through her father's. He covered his mouth slightly as he watched her in complete awe, mesmerized. She looked...she looked stunning. But there was one problem. He had zero experience on marriages, but he was _pretty sure_ that a woman would become a blushing bride on her wedding day. Forget blushing; Stella barely looked at Hayden. _Don't you typically look at the groom?_ She didn't. She appeared impassive and her composure was nowhere near relaxed or buoyant. She was just...there. As the video progressed, there was a small smile on her face as the priest recited the mumbo jumbo on how marriage was a consecrated ceremony and other blah-blah that the brunet could care less about right now. He was only focused on the blonde. He knew her well enough to comprehend that her smile was a total _fake._ As the video progressed, Brandon noticed more evidence to conclude his little theory. She didn't speak unless spoken to and she seemed touchy every time Hayden held her waist for photos. He didn't bother watching the other videos.

He pulled up the Internet. Considering the 'It' couple got married just yesterday afternoon, there are bound to be some good articles. Brandon glared in distaste at the first photo websites showed. He cantankerously slammed his laptop close when he saw Stella and Hayden kissing for the first time as husband and wife. _Okay, that's it._ He has had enough of this over-the-top phony wedding and even phonier joy and laughter.

He fell back on his bed and remained deep in thought. He hadn't expected to see her like this. He closed his eyes, disturbed. But she'll never understand, will she? She'll always think that he wanted to toy with her. He still remembered. He remembered the first time he saw her. Every memory with her was never forgotten. It's what he occupied himself with for years, hoping that there'll be more of them when he meets her. Little did he know that he would eventually become the third wheel.

The first time he met her...

It was _five_ years ago.

A small smile touched his lips. He had just returned from London to spend the summer at home when he saw her. Coincidentally, she had just graduated from high school and she was on summer break as well.

 _"Mom, I'm heading out!" Brandon announced, grabbing his keys._

 _"Where?!" Heather called back from the kitchen._

 _"Just out," he replied vaguely before heading towards the front door. Just then, the door opened as two girls entered. They were laughing at something he didn't really remember or care about._

 _Musa looked to see Brandon and grinned at him. "Hey, Stell," she turned to the blonde besides her. "This is Brandon, one of the brothers you never met," Musa joked, introducing her brother to her best friend._

 _Brandon turned to see a tall blonde with light amber-brown eyes. His eyes dilated just slightly as he stared at possibly the most beautiful girl he has ever laid his eyes on. Since when did his sister have such gorgeous and hot friends?_

 _Stella laughed at Musa's introduction before turning to him. "I'm Stella," she introduced herself while a little heat flamed on her cheeks._

 _He raised an interested eyebrow as she smiled at him innocently. He nodded quietly. "Brandon."_

 _"See you later, bro," Musa patted his back as he seemed to be going out somewhere._

 _The girls brushed past him, but his gaze remained transfixed on the blonde. She just seemed a little distinct for some reason. He was used to girls smiling at him seductively and batting their eyelashes flirtatiously, hoping he'll notice and give them a chance. But this particular girl...she looked almost shy and intimidated to look him in the eye. He never had a girl give that reaction before. To say that it took him up by surprise was a massive understatement._

 _He watched her travel upstairs while giggling and gossiping with Musa. She seemed to be oblivious of her one-man audience until she casually glanced around the living room and caught his eye. The smile on her lips slightly faded when she noticed him gazing at her with curiosity. She slowly climbed upstairs but occasionally looked back at him, wondering why he was watching at her like that._

 _He snapped out of his trance when he felt a hasty pat on his back. "I thought you were going out," Heather observed before moving past him to get something else from another room._

 _"Hmm?" he turned to her in question before turning back towards the blonde, who disappeared upstairs, presumably into his sister's room. "Yeah," he whispered absentmindedly, keeping his eyes in the direction she just disappeared to._

Brandon opened his eyes. His attraction to her had been instant and fatal. Ever since he noticed her, she had always been in his eye. Whenever she was around, he'd catch himself watching her intently with curiosity.

He looked around the room, where each crevice reminded him of his time with her. But...officially, he no longer had a chance to be with her.

 _Unofficially though..._ he smirked as his shameless mind brewed a few fantasies he'd very much like to come true.

* * *

 _ **Meanwhile...**_

Stella closed her eyes to get a decent nap, but her mind constantly replayed her conversation with Brandon from earlier. _Ugh,_ she grumbled to herself, wondering why she had to marry the one guy who had a stupid brother she'd very much like to run from for the rest of her life.

 _Brandon..._

He always went for what he wanted while giving a rat's hoot for the consequences. He just didn'tcare. He really didn't. In one of their first conversations, he outright told her that he wanted her. But he somehow managed to say that without sounding like a creep.

 _"Where's the punch!" Stella shouted over the music._

 _Musa grinned in response. "Kitchen!" she responded airily before going back to make out with her boyfriend Riven._

 _Stella grumbled in disgust, wondering when her friend will understand the meaning of unwanted PDA. And privacy. Heather and Lucas were out for the weekend to attend some conference across the country, giving their only daughter enough leeway to throw a spontaneous jamboree in the house._

 _She made her way through the crowd as she pushed past dancing people. She stopped momentarily when she spotted Musa's brother climbing downstairs in nonchalance. Dressed in black leather bomber jacket and dark jeans, he was a SIGHT to look at. His deep chestnut locks hung barely over his eyes, giving him that mysterious, bad boy, yet boyish look. "Wow," she whispered to herself._

 _Lord have mercy. The Shields' family is_ _seriously_ _blessed with some FINE genes._

 _She gasped when she suddenly caught his eye and immediately turned away. Her skin flamed at being redhandedly caught ogling as she hurriedly tried to get out of there. "Oh, crap!" she bit her lip with immense embarrassment as she tried to storm away from his line of sight. She pushed past people before deciding to get that punch she was going for earlier. This crazy rave drove her wild enough to get her thirsty. "What a lie," she grumbled to herself before blushing slightly. The younger son of the Shields household was hot enough to give her the vapors._

 _She made her way to the counters in the kitchen where two large punch bowls were set up side by side with stacked red cups beside them. She took a red cup before picking up the serving ladle. She poured the liquid into the glass, filling it to almost three-fourths. She set the ladle down before slowly sipping the drink, letting the cool liquid calm her nerves._

 _She gasped when she suddenly felt a warm presence behind her before her new captor placed his hands on either side of her body, confining her in between. She turned her head to the side and squeaked in shock when she saw Brandon gazing at her with impassive eyes. For some reason, he was gazing at her with curiosity as if she was some extraterrestrial being from outer space. His acute examination and the ardent look of scrutiny from his eye made her insides tremble and knees go weak. Pathetic._

 _"Stella, right?" he smirked slightly before finally addressing her._

 _She nodded in response, dumbfounded. Why was he looking at her like that? She looked at the way he confined at her and then back at him, wondering if he knew what personal space was. "I don't," he smirked._

 _"Did I say that out loud?" Stella squeaked, leaving him to chuckle in amusement._

 _He redirected his gaze to the trembling red cup in her hands. "What are you doing?" he asked curiously._

 _She stared at him, wondering 1) how a guy as handsome as this one even gave her the time of day and 2) why he cared. She blushed just slightly at the way he trapped her without as much laying a finger on her. "...P-Punch," she stuttered, struggling to breathe as she raised her glass slightly to show him._

 _"Punch?" he repeated in amusement, turning his gaze back to her again._

 _"Yeah...?" she said in unfeigned incertitude, making him laugh. Her eyes sparkled at his laugh, which has to be the most attractive thing she has ever seen on any guy._

 _His lips stretched into a small smirk at her naivety. Mere punch at a party like this? Puh-leeze. "You're not really that gullible now, are you?" he observed with interest._

 _She stared at him in confusion._

 _"It's spiked," he said while leaning in, letting his cool breath fan slightly over her._

 _Her eyes widened as she gasped in surprise and immediately set the drink down. He chuckled at her reaction while his eyes danced in amusement._

 _"But we're not even twenty-one yet!" she protested in shock, staring at the crimson red liquid. Isn't this party supervised?!_

 _"Who cares?" he chuckled._

 _"How did you know anyway?" Stella asked curiously._

 _"I have a crazy sister. Someone's gotta keep watch," he replied with another smirk pulling at his lips._

 _"Oh," she said stupidly. Not knowing what to say, she simply blinked and stared at him before his eyes turned even more intense._

 _She froze when he suddenly moved his lips towards her ear. "Come to my room," she heard in a delectably seductive, husky tone._

 _She blinked in shock at his open invitation. Subtle much?! But her insides swooned. How does this guy have so much effect on her? A man who invites to sleep with him on first glance is most definitely not her type, but...something about this guy just... "For w-what?" she asked, despite knowing the answer already. Even though she knew...his next words still managed to shock her._

 _"For the obvious," he smirked, chuckling slightly afterwards._

Stella gasped in fright when she heard someone barge through the bedroom, snapping her out of her trance. She sat up, startled, before glaring when it was Musa. She grabbed her pillow before throwing it at her friend. "Can't you enter a little more...I don't know, _gracefully?!_ You scared the crap out of me," the blonde grumbled.

Musa laughed. "Sorry. Not!" she smirked. "I don't do graceful."

Stella rolled her eyes. "Don't I know it..." she muttered loud enough for her to hear.

Musa grinned. "Hey, I called the girls and the guys! They're coming too!"

Stella moaned. "Can't we do it a few hours later or better yet tomorrow? I was hoping to get a good ol' nap."

Musa scowled. "No. We're going and that's it," she stated adamantly.

Seeing the puppy-dog eyes being sent her way, the blonde sighed. "Fine," she said, caving in.

"See, this is why I love you!" Musa smirked before hugging her.

"Sometimes I think that's the only reason," the blonde laughed.

Musa winked at her in agreement before skipping out the door.

* * *

Back in his room, Brandon was busy fantasizing and sulking. _Clashing combinations._ But who cares? He was free to fantasize about his _sister-in-law._ Ugh. _Sister-in-law._ He never hated a relationship more than this.

 _"I'm the daughter-in-law of this house, remember? Meaning I'm_ _ **YOUR**_ _sister-in-law."_

Daughter-in-law of this house. _His_ _sister-in-law._ Ugh, how wrong and just _disgusting._

Brandon's frown only deepened when he realized that as long as Stella remains married to his mute-but-not-mute brother, he'll never get a chance to be with her. Hayden isn't the most talkative person on this planet. He had always been about work, work, and work. _Boring._

 _A pandemonium._ That's what it was. He didn't know what he was thinking, he didn't know how to express it coherently, and he didn't know what he should do next. He had only questions but no answers. Thinking about the whole situation only irked him to a whole new level, and it wasn't pretty—

His irate glare turned even vexed when the door to his room slammed open in excitement. "Yo! Bro, aren't you ready yet?!" Musa grinned as she entered his personal space.

"For what?" he raised an eyebrow in annoyance.

"The beach!" Musa reminded him.

His eyes flashed in recognition. Then he looked at her attire. She wore a red tank top paired with white shorts and some white sandals. In her hands, she held a red sun hat with a white treble clef engraved in the middle.

 _Oh. Right,_ he sighed. "Who else is coming? Is Hayden coming? And...Stella?" he asked slyly to inquire about the blonde. If she isn't going, then maybe he could stay back and get another go to drill her with questions.

"I invited the girls and guys. Hayden isn't. Stella is. I just told her to get ready," she shrugged. "You should too."

Brandon nodded. He could care less about the beach, to be honest. He only wanted to see Stella. Musa skipped out of the room to give him some space before heading back to Stella's room.

* * *

 _ **Meanwhile...**_

Stella stood in front of the closet, lost on what to pick. _So...Brandon's coming,_ she sighed to herself.

"What should I wear?" she thought to herself as she browsed through her beachwear before something caught her eye. She picked out a deep, reddish-orange bikini with crisscross top with matching swim shorts. She held it up against her frame. "Wonder how Brandon's gonna feel," she wondered out loud. A second later, she gasped and dropped the bikini in shock. _No, no, no, please don't tell me I just said that,_ she whispered desperately to herself. She can't be having such thoughts! She's married!

Stella covered her face with her hands in embarrassment. Brandon's not in her life. His opinion shouldn't matter to her. She sighed and picked up the bikini with trembling hands before quickly changing into it. With yet another sigh, she pulled out a white, full-sleeved, knee-length, bohemian, floral cover up from her closet before slipping it over her head.

She applied a touch of natural makeup before brushing her hair. She took out a pair of shades before placing them over her head. Just then, Musa entered the room. "Ready?" her friend smirked. Stella grinned before giving her a thumbs-up. "Let me just grab my..." she trailed off, looking for her orange-red waterproof sandals. She slipped them on. "Ready," she smiled.

"We need more than one car," Stella said, grabbing her phone, wallet, sunscreen and shoving other such necessary possessions in a beach tote bag.

"The guys can carpool in one and we can head out with the girls," Musa suggested as they left Stella's room.

Stella's gut churned when they headed towards Brandon's bedroom. She felt downright uncomfortable and awkward.

"Brandon!" Musa knocked on his door. In moments, he was out of the room in a perfect beach attire, a casual sky-blue shirt with a white tank underneath and a pair of khaki-colored shorts. He carried a little duffel bag which presumably held his swimwear. For some reason, Stella had a feeling he was gonna go shirtless. _Asshole._

The three went downstairs with Brandon trailing behind the girls and keeping his eye on the blonde. "Bye, Mom!" Musa informed her parents who were sitting in the living room and having a quiet conversation. "See you, Dad!"

"The beach?" Heather asked with interest.

"Yup," Stella nodded.

"Hayden isn't going?" Lucas observed. Brandon was actually glad his brother isn't coming with them, so he kept mum.

"He said he was busy," Musa added urgently. "Are you guys finished with your interrogation now?" she scowled impatiently.

"Yes, yes, you guys have fun," Heather laughed before waving to them.

* * *

"I don't have a license, so technically, I can't drive," Brandon threw his hands up in surrender as they approached the garage.

"Alright, I'll pick the girls up," Musa volunteered.

"Then I'll ride with Stella," Brandon said innocently, hiding the devious smirk.

Stella's heart dropped. She found herself losing. _No, no, no,_ this isn't right. She growled to herself at such promiscuous events. "I'll pick up the girls," the blonde interrupted rudely, giving a subtle death glare to the manipulative brunet.

"Uh…okay," Musa shrugged, narrowing her eyes at Stella's blatant defiance in confusion before nodding. "Brandon and I'll get the guys then," she said before making her way to one of the SUVs.

Stella used this opportunity to give Brandon a death glare which pretty much conveyed the nonverbal _'Don't mess with me or else'_ threat.

Brandon cursed under his breath as she walked past him in a clear state of victory. His eyes burned with anger as he glared at her retreating figure. He clenched his fists while his lips set into a thin, straight line. He'll get his chance. He'll get it. And when he does…she'll regret it _dearly._

* * *

Stella panted as she clutched the steering wheel harder. She hadn't realized she had been hyperventilating till now. Why was she _still_ affected by him? It wasn't fair. It just wasn't. It's been five years. And yet…it felt like just yesterday since she saw him last.

She closed her eyes, getting a grip of her escalated breathing. She blew her bangs out of her face. The blonde continued driving as she picked up the girls one by one and Musa followed not too far behind with the getting the guys.

"So, Stell…How was last night with Hayden?" Bloom let out a wolf-whistle.

The blonde glared at the giggling redhead. _"_ Yeah. _Awesome,"_ she replied with a tightly clenched jaw that told everyone just how "awesome" it really was. Why were they doing this to her? Did they not realize how much of crap she has gotten herself into? The girls didn't understand how much this hurt her. And she had no one to blame but herself. Because of a fantasy she had lived out years ago, she was forced to pay the price today. She should've never touched something that was unattainable, yet she did. She knew her heart would be broken at the end, but it hadn't deterred her back then. It should've. She should've been stronger. Not weak and pathetic.

She shook her head before continuing to drive. She felt so angry, so bitter that a part of her was _still_ afraid of him. Not the part she was proud of having but still. He always intimidated her and not necessarily in a bad way because that was just the aura he gave off. It also made her susceptible to surrender to his every whim like a goddamn puppet, a trait that she hated about herself. She only wished she was stronger than she was five years ago. So far, so good. She didn't cry, trip over her words, or do anything that suggests her nervousness and discomfort around him. And that's what she wanted.

* * *

It wasn't long before they neared the beach. Stella parked the car within a few spaces from Musa. "Alright, hop on out, ladies!" she announced before cutting the ignition off. Maybe the beach was a good idea. She'd be surrounded by her best friends and that will totally make up for two of the crappiest days of her life.

They took the gear out: umbrellas, towels, sandals, beach chairs, sunscreen, and etc.

The men took out theirs: hats, watches, surf boards, life jacket—

"Hey, which idiot brought a life jacket?" Riven frowned with disgust.

"It's for when one of you idiots end up drowning," Helia smoothly said with a knowing smirk.

That resulted in a few chuckles from the team.

 _Men and their toys…_

The guys took off their shirts, resulting in appreciative glances from several women around.

And Stella grudgingly admitted to herself that she was one of them. Not that she'd _ever_ let it show in a million years. Her eyes automatically trailed over Brandon's obviously ripped physique. His skin was a beautiful tan, but it's not something new to her. She ran her eyes over his powerful shoulder blades, his chest that was chiseled and carved into perfect, and overall, his perfect V-shaped that left no room for any unwanted fat. Turning red in the face, she looked away before he could catch her red-handedly.

"C'mon, guys! The day's wasting!" Musa announced as she grabbed Riven's hand and started running towards the seafoam waters.

They laughed at the excited couple and followed along. The girls got together with their boyfriends/fiancés/husbands. Flora and Helia are married, Bloom and Sky are engaged, and the rest are still boyfriend/girlfriend material.

The only two "single" wheels were Stella and Brandon, who both appeared to be staring the other out to dust. The blonde realized that she really has no choice but to put up with the jerk. Brandon watched the stern glare that left her face as she followed the group wordlessly. He wasn't fazed. He'll have his upper hand soon enough. And _then_ he'd _really_ like to see her glare.

The girls set up the lounge chairs and umbrellas on the soft, beige sand before they took off their cover-ups and applied sunscreen to their bikini-clad bodies under the shade. Stella was about to take her- cover-up off when she caught Brandon's eye out of the blue and grew very uncomfortable under his arduous gaze. _Great._ And suddenly, taking off the cover-up made her feel even more self-conscious of herself. She sighed and let out a shuddering breath, looking away from him.

For some reason…this beach trip is suddenly looking a little awry.

"I'll go to the changing room really quick," Stella said nervously before grabbing her things and making a break for it.

The blonde looked around for the familiar, portable wooden stalls before making her way over there. So much for being stronger. She's barely lasting a second.

Oblivious to her, Brandon followed her not too many paces behind.

Reaching the stalls, the blonde jumped into an open one all the way at the corner, away from everyone else. Before she could lock it, however, a hand stopped her. Brandon checked around to make sure no one was watching. Stella gasped to see him suddenly entering the stall and locking the door behind her.

"No—!" she protested as she moved to escape when he grabbed her wrist and clamped a hand to her mouth before pushing her against the stall. She started to struggle in his hold. "Let me go!" she tried to scream but it came out as a weak, muffled whimper.

"Careful…" he teased. "These walls aren't the most soundproof ones, you know," he smirked.

Her eyes widened. That's true. She really didn't want to attract anyone's attention, especially not her friends. He smirked as she stopped struggling, her tantrum eventually dying down. He swallowed as he caught sight of her chest, rising and falling unsteadily. Looking away, he flickered his eyes back to meet hers. Her eyes were still wide…and just as vivid and bright as he remembered them.

He slowly removed the hand from her mouth but closed the gap between by placing his hands on either side of her head.

The second he freed her, her eyes shifted into a hard glare. "What do you want?!" she hissed.

With a glare, he leaned in, stunning her at the growing proximity. "You know damn well what I want," he whispered teasingly, his eyes unfazed by her outburst.

Stella's eyes widened. _She did…?_ She looked around for help but all she saw was the closed stall, trapping her with him.

His eyes softened, though not enough to let her see it, when he saw the obvious fear in her eyes as her face crumbled at his words. He grasped her chin to make her face him again.

"Don't worry," he smirked. "The beach isn't really my style. I'm here for something else," he teased.

She stared at him, unable to speak in the same confident voice she's been taunting him with all day. "P-Please leave," she asked of him. "Please, not here," she begged. "I'll do anything. Just please don't do this," she whispered as she lowered her eyes. She wasn't in the mood for his twisted games, contrary to whatever he might think. She was afraid of the consequences if someone found out what they were doing.

He didn't know what she was afraid of. But that was a topic to be debated on for another day. "…Anything?" he repeated sternly.

Her eyes glanced up at him again. She nodded slowly. It better not involve any funny business.

He took a deep breath before his eyes traveled south. His shameless eyes took in every inch of her body, her curves as he eyed her from top to bottom, making her feel even more self-conscious and vulnerable of herself. "You better not take this off," he finally spoke, returning back to her eyes as he gestured to her cover-up.

Stella's eyes widened at his order. Well, it was definitely better than what she had expected. "…If I do?" she whispered, testing him.

She didn't miss the way his eyes narrowed into a stern glare with hints of anger.

"Then expect to see me again in the same position," he hissed, daring her to challenge him.

"…For what?" she asked, unable to stop herself.

His angry eyes shifted into devious, mischievous eyes as he shocked her with his words, making her wish she never asked the question in the first place. "For the obvious," he smirked, making her eyes widen.

* * *

 _ **Preview for the next few chapters...**_

 _[Present]_

 _"I'll do anything to watch your marriage get destroyed to pieces."_

 _She stared at him, speechless._

 _"You're welcome, by the way."_

 _ **...**_

 _[Flashback]_

 _"You pervert! What if I was naked?!" she whispered furiously, tightening her grip on the towel._

 _"Then my eyes would've been really happy, what else?" he smirked, leaning in and trapping her in his arms._

…

* * *

 **AN:** Thank you for reading!

If you liked the flashback snippets, I'll include them in the next chapter as well. I have a series of them stored away in a file, so I'd definitely use them!

Thanks so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed it! :D


	3. Being Bitchy at the Beach

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.**

 **AN:** Hi, guys! So, I was so surprised by so many reviews for the last chapter. First of all, thank you so, so much. And second, I'm happy to read that many people actually _liked_ this version of Brandon. On the other hand, some were also…scared? So, I just wanted to clear up the concerns. This is a heads-up that Brandon is _not_ going to be the nice, sarcastic-but-sweet guy that I usually try to show him as. He's going to be a little…extreme. And even a little darker than normal. I've always written him as a mature, loving man, but I want to write in a different context this time. :) But don't worry, this _is_ a Stella/Brandon story, so I can't exactly toss them together if one of them crosses a line that can't be uncrossed. :)

Moving on, I'm so happy I finally decided to sit and write it this weekend! It feels like I haven't written in a long, long time, so I'm happy to be back! I hope you enjoy this chapter because I certainly had fun writing it. :) Unfortunately, I haven't proofread that thoroughly because I kinda have an assignment due in two hours, but I will get to it later tonight! Thanks! :)

* * *

Stella swallowed at the familiarity of those cursed words. He didn't say that, did he? He did NOT just say that, did he? Stella stared at him, petrified. He's still the same as ever. Shameless, crude, and uncouth. Time clearly hasn't changed him. Not one bit. He still lived for the thrill of the chase, hunting his prey down to the ends of the earth if that's what it takes. She didn't know if she loved or hated it. His tenfold determination was what once attracted her to him. She only prayed that she'd be able to resist it this time.

He watched her chest rise and fall irregularly. Clearly, she's afraid of him, but he didn't mind. If anything, he _wanted_ her to fear him. At least she'll know better than to ignore him the next time.

" _A-Are you kidding me?!" she gasped. "N-No!" she exclaimed, shocked._

 _He chuckled at her response, almost as if he had anticipated her dramatic outrage. "Wanna bet?" he teased._

 _No, she didn't. Not really. She huffed. "What bet?" her curious, seventeen-year-old mind asked anyway._

" _I bet…" he drawled lazily, "that you'll voluntarily come to my room in one minute," he smoothly finished._

" _And just why would I do that?" she rolled her eyes at his apparent overconfidence. This guy is one narcissistic fella._

" _Say if you do?" he trailed, telling her to finish it._

" _Forget it!" she glared at him. Even if she's the first person to admit that he's *cough* hot *cough*, in no way is she THAT pathetic or desperate to sleep with a guy she has known for less than ten seconds. "I'm not coming. Period," she said with an equal amount of confidence._

" _Come on, humor me," he pressed on with that smug grin of his. "What if you do come?"_

" _Then I'll walk right out," she stubbornly said, rolling her eyes._

 _He chuckled again, moving his lips closer to her ear. Her throat grew immediately parched. "Upstairs, first left, last room on the right," he whispered in the shell of her ear._

 _She glanced at him over her shoulder before throwing him a look of confusion. What is that supposed to—_

 _And she wished she hadn't asked. She felt her phone being snatched from her back pocket before his presence from behind her instantly vanished with it. She gasped, turning around to see him throw an amused smirk at her before walking backwards and eventually disappearing into the crowd._

"Come to my room," he said out of nowhere. "Tonight," he added lowly.

Stella froze at his words. She hoped he was just joking, but the raw emotion that burned in his eyes told her otherwise. Either he really _didn't_ know the definition of boundaries or he just didn't care. But then again, why did she think otherwise? "…I c-can't," she finally replied.

She froze when he reached up to touch her cheek with his thumb, stroking the trembling skin underneath. "It's adorable that you think I'm giving you a choice," he chuckled, leaning in.

She bit her lip in an attempt to stop her heart from racing. Why can't she get over this? Why can't she find the nerve to slap him and be on her merry way?

"Here's something to motivate you," he smirked. "I'll kiss you if you come," he said, his lips teeming with a frisky grin.

Her eyes widened to the point where she nearly fainted. She hated — no, she _loathed_ how easily he could say something like that. Here she was trying her damnedest _just_ to hide the fact that they know each other _very well_ and what was he doing? Right, uttering words that are making her heart race and leap out of her chest. Words that were once so sweet, almost tender, were now a poison she was being forced to inhale. "Your choice," he flashed her a simple, innocent smile.

Her heart skipped yet another beat at that grin. She couldn't tell if it was real or not — _was he mocking her by any chance?_ — but it certainly made her all wobbly.

With another teasing smirk, he finally let go of her. She almost felt as if a huge weight has been lifted off her shoulders, allowing her heart to breathe normally again. She watched him leave the cubicle and close the door behind him. Her knees buckled before she collapsed on the floor, shaken. She didn't know whether to cry, scream, get angry, or just…do nothing.

Her life from five years ago…the very one that had haunted her for the next couple of years…it seemed to be repeating. All over again. Knowing the outcome of the last one, she didn't know if she had the same strength to entertain this again.

Stella sighed before looking down at herself. The cover-up that had protected her from _his_ prying eyes up until now…she didn't feel like taking it off anymore. The last thing she wanted was leading him on and letting him think that she still harbored feelings for him. She didn't. She _wouldn't._ Still shaken from their proximity from moments ago, the blonde relentlessly hoped that was true and that she wasn't just reducing herself into a victim all over again.

 _Fuming at the thief, Stella pushed her way past the people, groaning as they involuntarily tossed her around while dancing. She growled as she eyed the second floor of the house._

 _Upstairs…first left…last room on the right…_

 _Reciting his instructions to his room, she grumbled her way up, ready to give this little jerk a piece of her mind. Reaching his room, she didn't bother knocking. Instead, she fumbled with the lock furiously only to realize that it was locked. "You've got to be kidding me," she scowled before raising her hand into a fist and banging on the door angrily._

 _The door opened moments later, leaving her face-to-face with the manipulative jerk. "May I help you?" he nonchalantly teased her, folding his arms._

" _Give me my phone," she demanded, extending her hand out._

"… _But I don't have it," he said innocently._

" _You just took it!" she fumed. She was in no mood to play games with this guy._

" _Ohhhhh, that." He tapped his chin in thought before his hand went to his pocket and pulled her phone out._

 _She gasped, trying to reach for it before he effortlessly threw it across the room._

" _It's over there," he pointed with a smirk._

 _Stella froze in shock when she saw that her phone landed safely on his bed. Out of all places…She turned to him with a full-on glare mode. "Go and get it," she demanded angrily._

" _Sorry, my hands are full," he smirked._

 _She blinked, seeing him shove his hands into his pockets. She scowled at him who gave her yet another teasing grin, unfazed at the death glares she's been giving him all night._

 _He leaned in, earning him a set of widened eyes from her. "But if you want it so badly, you can get it yourself," he cocked his head towards his bed._

 _Stella stood put outside the room. If she goes inside, she can consider herself doomed. Any place away from this guy is probably the safest one for her. She refused to go inside the closed quarters but then again, her phone isn't a toy that she can just forget about. "Fine," she sighed in defeat. "But step back," she told him._

" _Hmm?"_

" _You," she poked his chest. "Take a huge step backwards."_

 _He wondered what she was up to but obeyed her anyway with interest._

" _This door remains open," she ordered._

 _His eyes flashed with understanding before he started to chuckle at her paranoia. He watched the attractive blonde give him another suspicious glower before finally entering the room, storming to his bed, and grabbing her phone. Cursing her breath, she wasted no time in heading towards the door before his arm suddenly lashed out and slammed the door abruptly shut, halting her in her tracks._

… _Oh, she knew this would happen._

 _Standing in front of it, he barricaded her exit route before giving her another innocent smile. "Going somewhere?"_

" _Yes, actually," she glared, clutching her phone tightly, ready to chuck it in his face if he tried anything funny._

 _He chuckled at seeing her so adorably defensive. It was awfully amusing and dare he say…it's even refreshing to see a girl ready to slap him than one ready to go to bed with him. Not to mention way more exciting._

Flustered and shaken, she sunk her feet deep into the sand and clenched her toes together just to keep herself from falling. She raised her eyes to watch at Brandon only to watch him laugh with his friends and play face-to-face catch up on the years he had missed out on. She hated how normal he was. She hated how easily he could pretend that nothing happened between them. It was cruel. Why couldn't she do the same?

This proves it. This proves that he was toying with her yet again. It's like she thought. This man lived for the thrill of the chase and that's it. Seeing her so adamantly reject him must've turned him on to pursue her again. She was single before, but that wasn't the case anymore. She was married and not to just anyone but to his own brother. What greater thrill could be there than pursue something that is almost…forbidden?

She clenched her fists tightly, boring daggers into the back of his skull.

And what was it, what was it that he uttered? That he'll _kiss_ her if she did his bidding? Did he really see her as _that_ desperate? Was his ego so full that she thought she'd say yes just like that? What gave him the right to be so full of himself?! Her body burned with hurt and anger. She made up her mind. She won't show up to his room. And then maybe, _just maybe,_ he'll know better than to accuse _her_ of want. She'll show him just _how_ desperateshe is.

Composing her face to one of indifference, she decided to ignore him. There was no reason to fear him. It's because she feared him that he still thought he had a chance with her. _As if!_ Throwing one last glare at him, Stella returned to her girls who all rested under the canopies of their umbrellas and sipped on cool drinks. The guys weren't there, obviously having gone to have their fun in the ocean instead.

"Where did you go?" Musa asked curiously. "You didn't even change."

Stella froze. She looked at them who were all in their bikinis. "Uh…the stalls were full," she lied simply. The blonde bit her lip before turning her head to watch Brandon in the water. And she wished that she hadn't turned. Her face instantly grew red at the view that greeted her. The seawater slithered down his skin, letting his natural tan glisten under the sun. His shoulder blades, biceps, torso, all sculptured to near perfection, let her imagination wander, making her blush furiously as she unwillingly looked away before he could catch her red-handed. Oh, the embarrassment if he did…

He not only knew the effect he had on women, but he also exploited it. If confronted, she can imagine him saying one thing and one thing only: _it's not exploiting if you want to be exploited in the first place._ Sadly…she had been one of the many on that list.

 _Well…if he can do it…then so can I,_ she thought to herself. And who the hell was he anyway to tell her to be conservative at a _beach_ of all places? He didn't matter to her. He _shouldn't_ matter to her. And neither should his unneeded opinion about her wardrobe choices.

Before she could change her mind, the blonde lifted the white, floral fabric off her, revealing the fiery ensemble underneath. "Girls, I need sunblock!" the blonde announced, seeking shelter under the umbrellas. Stella flashed a smile at Flora, who tossed her a bottle. Knowing her ugly tendency to burn easily, she lathered a generous amount over her body before relaxing in the lounge chairs, sitting in between Bloom and Musa. Putting her sunglasses on, she sighed in bliss. "This…this right here is life."

"A- _men,_ " Musa gave her a fist-bump.

"I didn't think Hayden was gonna be a no-show," Bloom commented.

 _I'm glad he was,_ Stella grumbled to herself. But then again, she'd take him over Brandon any day. "He's too busy," the blonde shrugged, not that she really cared. She never spoke with Hayden, her interactions with him only going as far as casually brushing past him in the hallways…until recently, of course.

"We're not gonna be sitting here all day, are we?" Layla frowned, placing her sunglasses on the crown of her head.

"Why not?" Stella frowned back.

"C'mon, girls. Can't we play volleyball or something?"

"Who wants volleyball when you have THAT?" Musa smirked, pointing to the six hunks surfing in the ocean.

The girls laughed, with the exception of one, as they agreed unanimously. Stella's face only bore a tight smile for the sake of her friends. She would've enjoyed this trip a whole lot more if _Yours Truly_ wasn't here.

She softly sighed to herself, knowing that sooner or later, she'd have to face him again. He wasn't one to go away just because she told him to. And no matter how many pep-talks she'd give herself, she knew that a part of her will alwaysbe intimidated by him. Not the part she was proud of having but still.

" _What are you doing?" she asked him, irritated. She blinked in surprise when he abruptly snatched the phone from her unsuspecting hands again. "Hey, give that back!" she pouted before reaching for the arm that's held way out of her reach._

 _He chuckled as she tried to jump around him much like how a child would for that attractive, colorful piece of candy._

 _She glared at him, miffed at his antics with her. "Can I have that back?" she asked "nicely" with her teeth clenched, purely out of exasperation._

" _I won," he stated with a smirk._

" _What?"_

" _The bet. I won."_

"…" _Stella stared at him. If looks could kill, this guy would've been the ash she wouldn't mind walking on. All of this to make a damn point?! Oh, that's SO immature. "Fine. You 'won.' Now hand me my phone," she snapped, reaching for it again before he held it away._

" _Nope," he chuckled before brushing past her and escaping to the opposite side of the room._

" _What the hell?" she mumbled. She tailed after him before he hopped on his bed, inciting her. It wasn't just a game of tag; it was a cat-and-mouse chase. "What is wrong with—" She jumped on the bed with him before he hopped off once again, going away from her reach. She gasped when her feet slipped on the soft linen sheets under her. She squealed as she toppled forwards, expecting her face to say one painful hello to the floor any moment now._

 _His teasing smile vanished as she fell on him. Their surroundings rushed by in a blur. It was a fast fall yet also one that was slow and suspended. And then…impact. He grunted with a deep groan as his back collided against the floor, the pain of the hit increasing with the force of the weight of her body on top of his. He opened his eyes with the discomfort of the dull ache on his back._

 _The blonde lifted her head to see herself protected by the fall. "…" she blinked. She raised her head and stared at him._

 _The dullness on his face vanished and the smug grin returned to his face as his body fought off the shock. "Careful…your phone isn't worth breaking your neck."_

 _She just continued staring at him._

"… _Thank you," he coached her to say with that sinful smirk yet again._

 _Well, she was going to say sorry for knocking him down to the floor, but seeing the little self-righteous, happy look he's got going on, she decided against it. "For the record, this is YOUR fault," she berated him, sharply poking her index deep into his shoulder. Her eyes traveled towards his hand, where his fingers were curled around her beloved phone. She snatched it away from him. "I'll be taking that, thank you," she huffed before rolling off him. She smoothed out her outfit before stomping over to the door and get the hell out. Her mood had rotted, thanks to him. What a flirt._

Of all the times he could come back, why did it have to be on the day after her wedding? It's barely been, what, like three or four hours since he got here? And she already wanted him to go back to where he came from.

* * *

 _ **A while later…**_

More than an hour later, the guys got off their surfboards before heading back to the shore.

"It's good to see you back, man," Sky patted Brandon's back.

Brandon nodded. "It's good to be back," he agreed with a small smile. _Indeed._

Carrying his black baron surfboard with one hand, the brunet slicked his wet hair back with the other, though strands tumbled forward anyway with each of his strides. His body started to cool off as the water evaporated off his chest.

He found himself searching for that familiar shade of honey blonde when a red-haired woman caught his eye. Not necessarily because she was cute but because of that earnest desire visible clearly in her eyes as she ogled him with googly eyes. Brandon ran his gaze over her figure, earning a grin of delight from her. He smirked, chuckling to himself. She was hot, he'll give her that. And maybe, he once wouldn't have minded going to bed with a woman like that, but right now…he had a _very_ specific one in mind. "Sorry," he mouthed, giving her a wink. He didn't bother watching her grin deflate into disappointment.

"There they are," Helia pointed to the group of six playing volleyball not too far away from the lounge chairs.

Brandon followed the line of direction, catching sight of the familiar blonde in a flaming orange bikini. It was akin to a sports bikini with a top that cupped her chest firmly and shorts that revealed her long legs. His eyes instantly turned cold, standing frozen for a few moments as he let his eyes wander down her body and lust over every curve and shape of hers. Since the last time that he saw her, she definitely grew. If he thought she was beautiful before, she's stunning now. That top and those shorts did nothing to cease his erotic imagination. Which was all the more reason for him to be _pissed._ He clenched his hands as he glared at the object of his interest, who was obliviously playing volleyball, _half-naked._ Did she not hear him? Or did she just not care? He didn't think she was _that_ stupid, but either way, he wasn't going to stand around and let this pass.

As the guys neared the girls, they could make out the girls' conversations.

Stella, Musa, and Bloom played on one side while Flora, Tecna, and Layla played on the other.

"You're not supposed to catch the ball, you're supposed to hit it!" Bloom facepalmed at her hopeless friend.

"Flora, why are you so bad at this?" Tecna reprimanded her struggling teammate, obviously not wanting to lose.

"Yeah, girl, no need to make it so easy for us!" Musa smirked as she jumped to hit the ball towards Flora again.

"Isn't participation more important?!" Flora shouted in vain as she tried to hit the ball before Tecna took over and hit it back.

"Bullshit!" Stella laughed, hitting the ball back with ease.

"Yeah, that's what losers say when they can't get a hit!" Bloom laughed along, agreeing.

"Hey, give our girl a break," Layla stubbornly defended. "You three were way more pathetic when you started out," she smirked.

The girls giggled, agreeing, before noting the presence of the boys.

"Hello, ladies," Nabu smoothly cut in before going over to his girlfriend and giving her a little peck on the lips.

"Mind if we join in?" Sky asked, catching the ball mid-air.

"Yeah, actually," Stella rolled her eyes, pointing a finger at the narrow length of the court's net. "Six is company, but twelve is totally a crowd."

"Noted," Helia laughed before he and Riven moved to extend the net, expanding the play area.

The guys split up and volunteered to join their girlfriends' sides, wiping Stella's smile off her face in a flash. Whichever side they chose…it left her with Brandon. Biting her lip, she froze when she felt his presence behind her.

She glanced at him only to see that he wasn't even looking at her. Instead, he was firmly focused forward with no room in his vision to focus on the sides. _Uh oh._ She knew what that meant. That was his trademark _I'm-not-looking-at-you-because-I'm-too-pissed-to_ look, one she was all too familiar with.

She bit her lip, turning back around to face the front. _Such a jerk._ Ugh. Trust him to make things uncomfortable for her at any point of time and day for her. Why was he back so early anyway? Couldn't he have played in that water till the rest of this trip? And who was he to get pissed at her anyway? She silently wondered if it was because she's exposing herself.

As the game began, Stella somehow managed to ignore him. Even if he's pissed, she didn't have to smother herself with his attitude problems. And besides, there wasn't a single thing he could do to her in public. _In private though…_ she flinched before shaking her head, not even _wanting_ to go there.

" _What are you doing?! Let me go!" she yelped in total panic as he grabbed her wrist, preventing her from leaving yet again._

 _Keeping his fingers firmly in place, he studied her quietly. "You scream a lot," he observed before chuckling. "You know, you should learn to loosen up," he winked. "You're only out of high school, not college."_

" _By loosen up, you mean sleep around, don't you?" she asked knowingly. "No, thanks," she rolled her eyes._

" _One more thing…" he drawled lazily. "Don't roll your eyes at me," he warned in a teasing tone._

 _Yeah, right. She rolled her eyes at him again on purpose. He only responded by tightening his grip on her wrist, pulling her inches closer to him._

"… _I swear I'll scream rape if you don't let go," she threatened him. At this point, she didn't even care to be nice anymore. She had only tolerated him out of consideration for her best friend, but man, there IS such a thing as 'too far.'_

 _He raised an eyebrow, a little impressed at her guts to threaten him. "Filing false charges is illegal," he answered, amused._

" _So is sexual harassment," she retorted right on cue, glaring harder. "So, I'll only say this once. Let. Me—" Her hand suddenly sprang loose from his grip, stunning her with his obvious cooperation. She appeared momentarily off-guard before a victorious smirk spread on her pretty face. Well, that's more like it._

 _She smirked, gloating her little win in his face, something that made him chuckle. Surely, she didn't think he let her go because of her silly threat now, did she? Because that would be just too cute, even for her._

Her palms began to sweat, which she soon dismissed it as the result caused by the blazing afternoon sun.

As the game continued, Brandon could barely contain his anger underneath. He felt as his very gut was being twisted, poked and prodded. His knuckles turned pale from clenching his fists too hard. He could care less if anyone happened to notice, though a little surprised that no one did. He kept his eyes on the blonde in front of him. Acting as if nothing has happened. _Happy._ It irked him to no end that she chose to _ignore_ him. Instead of being the goody-goody, obedient two shoes that she should've been, she _ignored_ him. He tried not to be bothered by the men around him, who were all busy eyeing the oblivious, dumb blonde. Even if their eyes weren't necessary sexual, the interest in them angered the bothered brunet.

He counted at least ten guys — no, _eleven,_ he recounted, flashing yet another glare at the passerby — staring at her with obvious attraction. He could only imagine how many guys she must've managed to wrap around her little finger when he _wasn't_ here all these years. It ticked him off. She could've been a _little_ — no, _a lot_ helpful if she had just covered herself like he told her to!

Clenching his fist, his eyes fell on the white ball flying his way.

Stella froze for a moment when she felt a shoulder brush barely against hers. She felt a whoosh of air hit her skin as Brandon passed her. Packing a tight punch, the brunet leapt high in the air and hit the poor ball with enough force for it to fly _past_ the other side and nearly hit a young couple many few away.

Stella stared at him in shock.

"Dude!" Riven stifled a laugh, leaving Musa to glare at him with disapproval and hit him upside the head. Someone nearly getting hurt isn't and shouldn't be funny.

"What's with you?" Helia frowned while Timmy and Nabu ran off to get their ball back and apologize to the couple, who brushed it off and walked away with understanding.

"Sorry, guys," Brandon raised his hands in surrender, adding a little laugh. "Guess I was really caught up in the moment," he said with a hidden edge to his tone that only one of them seemed to pick up on.

"…" Stella glanced at him with a frown and even concern. When he didn't even _bother_ to glance at her despite her obvious gaze on him, that's when she really knew what "moment" he was caught up in. She looked away, grimacing quietly to herself. She felt even a little…guilty though she shouldn't have any reason to.

Trust him always to make things difficult for her one way or another…

Stella sighed, slowly losing interest in the game.

* * *

It wasn't long before the trip started to end. The group packed up their gear and carried it back. Rinsing the sand off their feet, they returned to the parking lot before stuffing the gear inside the trunks of the SUVs.

The girls threw on their sarongs and coverup dresses while the guys put their shirts/tanks back on.

Stella and Musa assumed the wheels again. Stella climbed into the driver's seat of one of the cars while Musa over another.

To Stella's dismay, the group decided to ride in couples. Bloom, Sky, Flora, Helia, and…Brandon got in while the rest of the entourage packed into another. Stella tried not to squirm as Brandon sat shotgun and the two couples crammed in the back. _Great._

The ride wasn't too scary or uncomfortable…until Stella slowly began dropping each of them one by one…

"Thanks, guys!" Bloom waved as she got down last.

Stella stared longingly after her, hoping the redhead will return for a forgotten item or something. No such thing happened as Bloom disappeared inside of her home. Stella shakily sighed as she merged into the street traffic.

Oh, now she was regretting. Fearing her palms sweat, she gripped the steering wheel tighter. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him staring out at the window. She felt as if she did something wrong. _No, shut up, you did nothing wrong,_ she tried to painfully reassure herself.

The car ride was so incredibly silent that she felt suffocated. _Someone kill me now._ She wished Musa was somewhere nearby so she could just toss this guy to the other car. _Say something, you doofus!_ She stole yet another glance at him. She wondered what it is about the passing roads and buildings that he found so interesting that he could barely keep his eyes off the damn _window._

She bit her lip, nervously driving. In this nightmarish traffic, they were still over thirty minutes away from home. He could easily say something. He could corner her…just like he did at the beach. But he didn't. _Not that she wanted him to!_ She didn't know if she should be relieved or…scared. Should she initiate the talk? _NO._ Absolutely not. Bad idea. When she felt both her mind _and_ heart warn against it, she knew it's gotta be.

Stella could barely the happiness on her face when she saw the house come in view forty minutes later. _Finally!_ She thought she'd never see this place again! She shot a glare at the jerk sitting beside her. She immediately pulled into the garage and noticed that Musa wasn't here yet. Odd. She's usually a fast driver.

The second she stopped the car and turned off the ignition, Brandon _finally_ moved from the rock posture he has assumed for the last hour and half. He unlocked the door and got out without a second delay.

 _Okay,_ she took a deep breath, keeping an eye on that door. _If he gently closes it, he's fine. If he slams it, he's still pissed,_ she deduced quietly in her mind. She waited for him to do either…except it didn't happen. Stella blinked. Instead of what she had hoped, he left it _open._

Stella scowled. _Why, that jerk!_ She hopped out of the car before stomping to his side and slamming the door shut in anger. _Oh, the irony._ "You're _welcome,"_ she hissed under her breath, glaring at his retreating back.

Wait a sec. The trunk was still full. Stella narrowed her glare at his indifference with her. Oh, _c'mon,_ being a man, can't he carry the luggage inside?

"Excuse me!" she called after him. She half-expected him to pretend that he didn't hear her and just keep going. Except he didn't.

He paused before turning his head over his shoulder, giving her the most neutral, normal look possible.

"Do you mind helping?" she demanded, putting a hand on her hip while using another to unlock and open the trunk.

He turned his body to face her fully. He folded his arms, giving her a long, thoughtful glance, one that made her increasingly uncomfortable. Heh, what else is new?

A moment later, he shrugged his shoulders before approaching the trunk with one hand tucked in a pocket. She stepped aside to give him space to carry the larger, heavier items—

He ruffled through the equipment as if searching for something. Stella blankly watched as he pulled out two towels…the _lightest_ items in there. He held them each in his hands before giving her another neutral glance and turning around on his heel, leaving a dumbfounded blonde in the garage.

"Gahhh, that jerk!" Stella screamed, overcoming her shock. She clumped a fistful of her hair in frustration before turning to the trunk. It was obvious that that was all he was gonna "help" her with. She almost wished she hadn't asked.

She scoffed, raking another hand through her hair. For someone who wanted her to like him back, he sure is doing a fantastic, _opposite_ job!

She groaned at the things inside. There was a reason that girls appreciated chivalry. Someone _else_ would do the hard work for them. Cursing under her breath, she unloaded the trunk one by one, shoving the chairs in the corner of the garage.

The rest…towels, backpacks, makeup, clothes, feminine products, umbrellas, and extras…

She groaned before hauling all of them herself. She huffed and puffed all the way inside before abruptly dumping the load in the living room.

Heather glanced up to see a completely miserable Stella entering the living room, looking very much irritated. "Why're you carrying everything by yourself? Didn't you ask Brandon for help?"

At the mere mention of his name, Stella shot a dirty look upstairs.

"Get inside. I'll get Luke or Hayden," she reassured.

"It's fine, Heather," Stella smiled, masking the scowl underneath. "There's not much left anyway," she reassured before going back out. Ugh, what an annoying spoiled brat. Clearly, no one ever taught him a thing called _respect._

 _Or boundaries,_ she added, sulking.

" _So…do you have a boyfriend?" he asked out of the blue, pausing her in her tracks. "You look like you might."_

" _Actually, that's none of your—" she narrowed her eyes,"—wait." Her face assumed to one of disgust, "You'd actually hit on someone who's not single?" Okay, she's all for casual dating and flings, but there's a fine line between hooking up and wrecking another person's relationship._

 _He couldn't help but find her innocent question…innocent. Too innocent for her own good. Casually shoving his hands into his pockets, he inched closer to her. "Unless you tell me you're not single, I'll assume you are," he smirked. Finding her silent, he knew he made a point. "I'm not the one forcing you to be a backstabbing whore now, am I?" he finished smoothly._

 _She shifted a little uncomfortably at his crude word of choice._

 _A second later, his playful eyes returned again as he shrugged his shoulders. "So, do you have any boyfriends that I should know about?" he asked again casually._

" _Why should you of all people know anything?" she narrowed her eyes at him, not appreciating his apparent invasiveness._

" _Well, it would've been a waste of time to bring you here and let you leave without having you answer at least this," he shrugged._

 _Huh? She looked around his room in confusion before realization hit her eyes. So, that was it? He wanted to know if she was single? "THAT'S the reason you brought me here?" she asked with her eyes widening, wondered that he'd actually go to such dramatic lengths just to…flirt?_

" _Then what was on your mind?" he teased._

 _The obvious. Duh._

 _Her face instantly flamed a bright red at his knowing smirk, leaving him to chuckle at her mercy. She hid her face behind her hair out of complete embarrassment. She honestly never met someone so…forward. And ignorant. Clearly. He laughed at her expense and didn't honestly seem to care what she thought. Typical rich boy attitude._

 _Chuckling, he gave her an innocent smile — again, too innocent — before it uplifted into a sly smirk. "Plus, it's no fun to test you in front of so many people," he playfully frowned._

"… _Test…?" she repeated in confusion._

 _She gasped when he inched close enough to hold her chin between his index and thumb. She immediately grew flustered under his presence, realizing how intimidating he could really be up so close. And from the constant smug smirks he's been casting her way…she wondered if he knew it too._

" _And what do ya know? It turns out…you're just my type," he smirked, leaning closer._

Everything just _has_ to go according to _his, his, his_ plan, doesn't it?! She growled to herself, stomping back to the car to get the rest of the things. _No thanks to him!_

* * *

 **~ Stella's Room – 11:35 PM ~**

Stella lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. She drummed her fingers on her waist, her thoughts swimming around Brandon quietly. At lunch, he nearly punctured her soul with that intense, penetrating stare of his. At dinner, he didn't even look her way.

She bit her lip, trying to understand. Surely, he can't be angry for _that_ long. 'Cause that would be a little dramatic even for him, _especially_ for him.

But then again…he was never one to compromise. He went for what he wanted. His wins, he celebrated, but any defeats remained unforgiven. There was something about that determination of his, that _drive_ of his that made him that much more irresistible to women…except for her. Because only she knew how dangerous he truly was. He didn't just chase; he _lured_ everything and anything he wanted into a trap.

He appeared harmless on the outside with maybe even a mischievous side slapped to that seemingly innocent face. But underneath all that playful personality…there was a cold, bitter heart that cared for no one but himself. He enjoyed making people cry and leaving _them_ to pick up the pieces his mistakes caused. Cruel jerk.

Her eyes narrowed bitterly as she watched the clock tick by. She scoffed to herself, remembering his words or, rather, _orders_. He wanted her in his room tonight. Yeah, right.

She sat up straight. Why should she go anyway? Didn't he know that the rock on her finger morally prohibited her to have unsolicited affairs? She knew the answer. He knew; he just chose not to care. No materialistic testimony or legally binding paper could stop him from going after what he wanted. And he clearly never learned that the word 'no' _never_ meant yes. Douchebag.

So, she didn't go to his room. Maybe that'll teach that presumptuous bastard that no matter how many strings he chose to use against her, she'll _always_ have something called class. If anything, after all the harassment he had put her through, _he_ should be the one to come in here and apologize to her!

The blonde paced around the room, deep in thought, fidgeting with her fingers and occasionally darting her eyes over to the door. After a few minutes of anxious pacing, Stella mewled with frustration, wondering she'd ever _bother_ waiting for an apology. Maybe she should just go demand one since her day did get ruined.

Biting her lip with anticipation, Stella eyed the clock. Just seconds after midnight. Most likely, the folks are asleep. Musa would be too; she isn't a nighthawk. Hayden, the workaholic jackass, well…he just might be awake, but…his sleeping habits kinda didn't matter to her.

Before she could change her mind, Stella snuck out of her room and stormed to Brandon's before sneaking inside. She locked the door behind her and barged straight in. And sure enough, the lights are on, indicating that he was awake. C'mon, no true millennials would be truly asleep at this time of night.

He looked up at the unexpected guest in his room and that too — he read the time — at such an… _intimate_ time of night.

She had to pause for a few moments, biting her lip at the heinous familiarity of this very bedroom. This was where she first realized what an asshole he was. Ahh. Memories.

Stella turned her attention to the 6'2'' brown-haired male in front of her. She scowled at his posture and how relaxed he appeared in his bed with a laptop in his lap. Seeing the laptop produce flashes of light on his face, she guessed he must be watching a video. _A movie,_ she guessed. _Is he kidding me?!_ She had to resist the urge to go over there and just… _slap_ him with all her might. She's been _restless_ all day because of him, and here he had the _gall_ to _relax?!_ As if nothing happened between them. As if they didn't know each other from years and instead through…the marriage.

Whatever bullshit game he's insistent on playing, she only had one thing and one thing to say. She needed to hear from him that whatever happened today will _not_ repeat now or in the future. If they're going to live in this house with four other pairs of watchful eyes, they — no, _he_ needs to behave. There's a reason people tell to leave the past in the past. And she had no intention to revive old memories again, something he's been unconsciously forcing her to do ever since he got here. It's cruel and completely unfair to both of them.

"What do you honestly think of yourself?" she finally spoke in a firm, unwavering tone, quite contraire to the squeaky rat noises she's been making all day. She made sure to keep her voice low enough to not attract any unneeded spectators or eavesdroppers. "Seriously, who do you think you are?" she demanded, taking steps closer to the bed.

Well, isn't _someone_ full of confidence today? Taking out his earphones, he slowly closed the lid of the laptop, giving her the attention she apparently barged in here for. He set the computer aside and raised himself from the bed, calmly watching her as she fired away questions.

"This is the last time, the _last_ time," she emphasized, throwing a glare at him, "you'll _ever_ pull a stunt like the one you did today, do you hear me?!"

He raised an eyebrow at her domineering tone and the stern discipline in her eyes. He wanted to laugh. It was almost as if she expected him to be an obedient little puppy. He let out a small 'tsk' of disappointment. He really thought she knew him better than that.

She continued ordering him around, clearly forgetting her place with him. This wasn't the beach or the family dinner where she was safe and secure with his ever so loving family. No, this was _his_ room, _his_ territory, which means she won't get away with being a gutsy little brat to him.

She stood there panting, impatiently waiting for him to say the obvious _yes_ to her reasonable demand. Hell, she'll even be gracious enough to not ask for an apology either, if he chose to relent quietly without any further argument.

A moment of pause ensued as he gave her a long, neutral glance. He _finally_ opened his mouth, speaking to her and holding a ceasefire on ignoring her… _for now._ "…Remember when I told you that if you came into my room…" he drawled lazily, slowly inching towards her, something she didn't quite notice nor the hidden motive in his eyes. A sharp, squeaky gasp left her lips when his arm abruptly lashed out and grabbed her wrist in a vice grip before shoving her body hard against the wall beside them and pinning her there with his own. "…I'd kiss you?" he finished in a firm whisper before his lips stretched into a wide, devious smirk at the pair of vibrant, round, golden-amber orbs that greeted him back.

* * *

 **AN:** Thank you for reading! :) This chapter was longer than the previous ones because I wanted to kind of show both Stella's and Brandon's personalities a little more, along with how they met. I had to delete so many snippets of the flashbacks because I feared the chapter growing really long. So, I shifted more than half of them to the next chapter. I just wanted to also say that the flashbacks won't be this lengthy from the next chapter onwards. They'll be way shorter, unless you'd like me to write extra.

There were so many requests to update this story on this and other stories as well, so I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I loved writing it. Thank you again! And see you in the next one :)!


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